Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-31
GORDON'S ELOQUENCE.

GeOrgia's Governor breaches Democracy
to the Citizens OF Portsmouth.
CINCINNATI, October 30.-A special to
the Enquirer from Portsmouth says:
Notwithstanding the severity of the
weather the Grand Opera House was filled
at an early hour with an immense au-
dinCe, 10 hear Governor Gordon, of Georgia,
yesterday. The expectant throng waited
patiently fer the arrival of the celebrated
statesman and soldier.
The stage was neatly and artistically
decorated. A portrait of the President
hung suspended between the folds OF the
flag. When the distinguished party ar
rived they were received with thuuderS of
applause. Hon. Wells A. Hutchins, in a
neat and eloquent speech, introduced the
! speaker, whe said:
"MY -COUNTRYMEN OF OHIO:
| come to spread the gospel OF peace aud
the permanent union of these free Ameri-
can States" lie called attention to an an
nOuncement OF his coming as the chief Of
the Ku-Klux gang and since his ar
rival had transformed him into q
stalwart sentimentalist. He never be-
longed to an Oath-bouud organize
! ton, but the immortal Hampden
was sentimentalist when be died on a
scafiold for the liberties OF England. The
old Plymouth Rock pilgrims: were senti-
mentalistS, as were the signers of the Dec
laration, when they pledged their lives,
! fortunes and sacred honor. General Grant,
when he uttered the immortal words, LET
us have peaCc," was n sentimentaliSt.
| The speaker announced that he was
ready and willing to answer all questions
that might lie put to him touching the
| loyalty of his Southern cOuntrymen; that
/ he was not here to discuss State questions
or local issues; his purpose was the we'll
being of common country. He took up
the issue raised by Republican leaders in
! this campaign, and asked what could be
gained by fOmenting feelings OF hatred
between the sections. During that bloody
strife the soldiers of neither side were
actuated by such motives. The speaker
reviewed the differences that brought about
the war. The South accepted the result.
The reception OF Jefferson Davis at Ma
con was described and defended. The old
hattie SCARED flags were shown to the
Confederate veterans. 1t was the sam.
sentiment that animated the brave men,
bers ofthe Grand Army of the Republic
who bore so proudly the tattered flags un-
der which they had fought so gallantly.
There were twelve tattered rebel flags ex-
hiblted, surrounded and covered over with
fifty Thousand flags OF the Republic
He referred to his own utterances on
that occasion as exhibiting the loyalty of
his people. He ably refuted the charge
that they oppressed the colOred people,
and, addressing himself to cOlored people
in the audience, he showed that in 1871,
under carpet-bag rule, only six thousand
colored youths were in the schools OF
Georgia. Under Democratic administra-
ton that was increased to nineteen thou
sand, and in 1885 the white Democrats
were schooling one hundred thousand.
The entire speech was mastery arraign-
ment OF the spirit of sectionalism, and
throughout was applauded to the echo.
Over onc-half the audience were Republi-
cans, who manifested their appreciation OF
the speakers patriotic utterances by vieing
with their Democratic neighbOrS i'll the ap-
plause